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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27117296">ten summers ago, under the sycamore tree</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaroscuro555/pseuds/Chiaroscuro555'>Chiaroscuro555</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Actor RPF, Chinese Actor RPF, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BJYX Week (The Untamed RPF), BJYX | Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan | Sean is Real, Birthday Sex, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Prosecutor!Xiao Zhan, Smut, Xiao Zhan | Sean's Birthday, Yakuza!Yibo, Yibo with tattoos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 20:28:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27117296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaroscuro555/pseuds/Chiaroscuro555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Promise me, if you're 30 years old and nobody claims you yet, I want us to get married."</p><p>The sweet sweet promise they made under the old sycamore tree, with the scorching sun highlighted their sweat and tears before they said their last goodbye.</p><p>Ten years later, Xiao Zhan is a top prosecutor in the country, and a single man.</p><p>On the night of his thirtieth birthday, he was ambushed by the son of the local mafia, who's involved in prostitution and killing spree, to be killed on spot.</p><p>Thankfully he was rescued… and then kidnapped.</p><p>All in the same night.</p><p>Xiao Zhan couldn't think of anything worse than these chain of events to spend his birthday. </p><p>Alone.</p><p>Almost killed.</p><p>But then a surprise happened.</p><p>Turns out, getting kidnapped sometimes was not the worst way to spend your birthday, if in exchange you got to marry the love of your life.</p><p>But is it really as perfect as it looked like?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Wang Yi Bo &amp; Xiao Zhan | Sean, Wang Yi Bo/Xiao Zhan | Sean/Xiao Zhan | Sean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>BJYX Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>BJYX WEEK 2020</p><p>DAY 8</p><p>Free day ❤💚</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a very late night when he left the office, nothing out of ordinary, really. His work demanded more and more of him and he willingly gave himself fully, dedicated himself to the cause; get rid of bad guys off the streets.</p><p>He was walking back toward his car in the underground garage when he heard that screeching sound of car brakes behind him.</p><p>His reflexes, honed by years of practice; a must in his line of work; made him jump behind the rows of cars before the sound of machine guns echoing in the dark garage. </p><p>A near miss.</p><p>He waited until the car moved down the lane before he ran the opposite way to reach the nearest security post, which was still too far away for his liking.</p><p>
  <em> I should park nearer to the exit next time… </em>
</p><p>He was still a few hundred meters away when the said car cut him off, making him turn around as fast as he could, but it's no use because in the next second a bullet hit the ground near his feet.</p><p>He stopped his movement immediately, wondering what he should do next when he heard a car door open behind him.</p><p>"Counselor Xiao. Just the one I've been looking for."</p><p>He cursed. </p><p>
  <em> That voice… </em>
</p><p>He turned around to face the man who just now almost killed him.</p><p>"Wen Xu. I thought you're in jail already." He looked at the man before him distastefully. He was one of the sons of Wen's family, the local mafia who got caught because of his illegal gambling and penchant for killing prostitutes. And naturally he was the prosecutor.</p><p>"Well, that's the beauty of having a small army of expensive lawyers in your pocket, they can get you out of jail in no time." He shrugged dismissively. "Anyway, I just wanna say goodbye to you before I'm setting off to one of the islands with non extradition treaties, and sipping margaritas for the rest of my life." He signaled one of his men to bring him a gun.</p><p>"Tell me, Counselor Xiao, which part of you that you don't mind saying goodbye to?" He pointed his gun to his leg. "A leg…" then moved it upward. "Your dick? I bet ladies will cry if I shoot you there…" he cackled, amused at himself. "Or maybe I just blow your brain out and get it over with." His gaze suddenly turned cold.</p><p>"I must admit, Wen Xu, you do have guts. To kill an officer of the law right on the courthouse's premises. Do you know how many cameras are in here?" He gestured to a few of the cameras that pointed their way. "Or do you think that no one could hear your trigger-happy… lackeys?"</p><p>"Right. So where are they?" Wen Xu smiled in a malevolent way, making him shivered inadvertently.</p><p>
  <em> Now that he thought of it… </em>
</p><p>"For a very smart guy, you're not very smart at all, <em> Xiao Zhan </em> ." His name spatted out from Wen Xu's mouth poisonously. "Now, say your last prayer before you go to sleep… <em> forever </em>."</p><p>Xiao Zhan heard the click of the gun and despite the seriousness of the situation, he was just regretting one thing. </p><p><em> I'm sorry I won't be able to give you what you wanted, mom… </em> </p><p>He was ready to embrace death, after all, this was the risk of the job. Everyday he gambled with his life, and although most of the times he had won, it seems that this time, he lost. He closed his eyes then, not wanting his last sight to be that fugly motherfucker.</p><p>He waited for the bullet to go through his head.</p><p>
  <em> And waited. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>But nothing happened.</p><p> </p><p>Finally he opened his eyes… to see there were a lot of red dots pointed at Wen Xu's and his lackeys' various body parts.</p><p>Wen Xu was visibly pissed. He knew the meaning of the red dots, and he put his hands up in a surrendering gesture.</p><p>"Counselor Xiao." A familiar voice called him from a loudspeaker. "Are you alright?" </p><p>That was the captain of the Quick Response team making sure he wasn't hurt.</p><p>He put up the okay sign with his fingers, and out of nowhere a horde of men in black came and seized Wen Xu's gun before putting him in handcuffs.</p><p>"You know this changed nothing, right? I will still be out in a few hours, then I'll come back for your ass…" Wen Xu's face was red with anger after realizing he's been trapped.</p><p>"Is that a threat?" Xiao Zhan tilted his head, not really giving a damn since he's been threatened by different people every day. "You can take your numbers then, since I have tons of threats waiting on my desk." He turned back to Captain Li. "May I leave now? I think we can take care of this… mess tomorrow?"</p><p>"Yeah yeah,no problem, in fact let one of my men take you home. We're taking no more chances tonight, Counselor Xiao." He signaled one of his men to come. "Officer Ji Li, please take him home."</p><p>Xiao Zhan only sighed. Guess he would have to commute tomorrow. But this was a small sacrifice for his life. So when the black nondescript SUV came in front of him, he immediately went inside and closed the door.</p><p>"Straight home, Counselor Xiao?" Ji Li, one of the officers asked him. He knew this young man, he met with him a few times in the courtroom and at the precinct. He seemed capable enough, and certainly nice enough not to grumble at this menial task.</p><p>"Yes please, do you know where it is?"</p><p>"Yes, I've been there a few times to deliver documents." Ji Li started to drive.</p><p>He made himself comfortable on the backseat, he was so tired, and not to mention today was supposedly to be his birthday<em> . </em> </p><p>
  <em> His 30th birthday.  </em>
</p><p>The youngest Assistant District Attorney ever.</p><p>Something was niggling at the back of his brain, but for the love of god he couldn't pin that down precisely. Maybe because he was bone tired and in dire need of sleep, or maybe because of the intense feeling of almost being shot, either way his adrenaline seems to crash and he fell asleep as soon as the car got out of the garage.</p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>-----</p><p>
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</p><p>He opened his eyes just in time with the car's turn to an unfamiliar road. </p><p>He jerked up and looked around him, but still did not recognize anything.</p><p>"Hey, officer Ji Li, where the hell did you bring me to?" He was pissed, and tired, and ready to kill to get a decent sleep.</p><p>"Counselor Xiao, I'm really really sorry, but someone wants to see you tonight. It's very important that you see this person right away." </p><p>He could hear the trembling of Ji Li's voice and he wondered if he just went out of the frying pan into the fire.</p><p>It didn't take long for him to find out because a few minutes later they stopped in front of a huge iron gate with cameras and people with guns.</p><p>They took one look at Ji Li, and waved him in.</p><p>Xiao Zhan did not have any energy to even question the man who drove him. He wasn't even sure where they were right now, when the door to the car opened.</p><p>"Mr. Xiao, please, this way."</p><p>A huge man wearing black suits and sporting a huge tiger tattoo on his neck politely waved Xiao Zhan to follow him. Of course he hadn't had any option but follow the man to wherever he wanted him to be.</p><p>
  <em> Like a lamb to the slaughter. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The man took him through some kind of huge Japanese sand garden, then to a lone structure in the middle of it. It looked like a <em> minka </em> , a traditional Japanese house with sliding doors, tatami mat floorings and wooden <em> engawa </em>veranda. </p><p>He slid over the door soundlessly, and asked Xiao Zhan to wait inside.</p><p>Xiao Zhan took his shoes off on the <em> genkan </em>, and sat down on the tatami. There's a table with piping hot tea on top of it, so he helped himself with a cup to wake him up.</p><p>The tea was excellent. It's a perfectly made <em> matcha </em> with real <em> matcha </em> powder, not the instant kind.</p><p>Xiao Zhan; a tea connoisseur; appreciated this very much, as he likes rare and expensive tea too, although he didn't have that much time to just sit down and enjoy a quiet time with his favorite tea. <em> Which happened to be this particular one </em>.</p><p>"I see you still have a penchant for rare tea."</p><p>Xiao Zhan almost jumped at the sound of that low, dangerous voice, hiding in the shadow. But he didn't make any sound, just put the cup down quietly.</p><p>"Are you the one who told officer Ji Li to kidnap me here?"</p><p>"Kidnap is a rather strong word, don't you think?" </p><p>The man, <em>a young</em> <em>man, </em>walked out of the shadow and Xiao Zhan's breath hitched. </p><p>He was wearing a dark green <em> yukata </em> with white peonies scattered all over it. It was supposed to be a woman's <em> yukata </em>, but this man wore it gracefully. But that was not the point.</p><p>There's nothing womanly about him, at all. From his huge Adam's apple, his big hands, the phoenix eyes, and longish dark hair framed an oval face with pouty mouth. The <em> yukata </em> was tied loosely, so it slipped open when he sat down in front of Xiao Zhan, revealing the fully tattooed body. </p><p>The tattoos itself were delicate like it's carefully painted on his body. So far Xiao Zhan could only make out a huge dragon and peonies shapes, and he couldn't tear his eyes off them.</p><p>
  <em> He exuded sensuality and danger. </em>
</p><p>"Like what you see?"</p><p>Xiao Zhan could hear the smugness in the man's voice. He seemed to recall some kind of memories regarding that smug voice, that ethereal face, that smirk… </p><p>Then a lightbulb seemed to light up in his head.</p><p>"... Wang Yibo?"</p><p>"I'm glad you still remember me." He poured the tea into another cup and drank it gracefully. "I hope you still remember our promise ten years ago though…"</p><p>Xiao Zhan vaguely remembered the scrawny blonde teenager that followed him everywhere that summer ten years ago, then he suddenly just disappeared, leaving him kind of… empty.</p><p>
  <em> But what promise did he talk about? </em>
</p><p>It seemed the question was clearly shown in his usually stoic face because the next thing he saw from that beautiful face of Wang Yibo was a slight disappointment.</p><p>"I see. Well, we have time." He clapped his hands twice, and the sliding doors opened to reveal a group of people, all wearing black. It took Xiao Zhan aback with the sheer number of the people marching inside the <em> minka, </em>bringing something in their hands.</p><p>They put down various plates of dishes and condiments, wrapped boxes, big and small, and finally an elaborate birthday cake with a little prince topper.</p><p>"Happy birthday, Xiao Zhan."</p><p>Of all the things he expected to be done to him, this was the furthest thing in his mind.</p><p>"I-you kidnapped me to celebrate my <em> birthday </em>?" He felt like he was dumped inside some kind of twisted Alice in Wonderland movie, with this beautiful man as the cheshire cat.</p><p>"Again, kidnapped is a very strong word, Zhan-ge… I just want to celebrate your birthday with you." The man visibly pouted now. "I really do hope you will remember your promise soon though." He pushed the cake closer to Xiao Zhan. "Now, make a wish and blow the candle."</p><p>Xiao Zhan was confused, but he did blow the candle off, followed by a gleeful childlike clapping from the one sit in front of him.</p><p>"Have you made a wish, Zhan-ge?"</p><p>The young man, Wang Yibo, moved inside his proximity, closer than he would like for anyone to crowd his senses. </p><p><em> Crowded his senses </em>. </p><p>That's an understatement. More like overwhelmed him, and he's not the one to easily be overwhelmed by a mere presence of beauty. Not like this one.</p><p>He exhaled and inhaled. And did it again. Unfortunately all it did was enhance his sense of smell. He smelled a hint of jasmine, and sweat. It was all painfully familiar, yet so strange since the last time he remembered a sweet smell like this was when he was embraced in a teary hug and sloppy kisses under the scorching heat, that tasted like ice cream and tears.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> "Zhan-ge, I don't want to leave, I want to marry you!!" The boy tearfully hugged him, sniffing loudly but still tried to hold back his tears.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His heart's constricted by the view of this beautiful boy, only 15 at that time, with teary eyes full of love and hands clutching him tight as if never wanting to let go.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But he had to go. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His mother's death took a toll on his father, and he decided to move out of the country, to try to escape from his heartache, and Yibo as his only son and heir was going to go with him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Yibaobao…" That was his nickname for this crybaby. "I will be here when you get back. I will wait for you. Don't be sad." He drove his hand in the beautiful blonde hair and cupped his face tenderly, giving him a kiss on his forehead. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Zhan-ge, you have to wait for me. I will be back for you." There was a silent determination in his eyes, showing the other that he already made a pact for himself. "Can you promise me one thing though, Zhan-ge?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Anything for you." He kissed the top of his head fondly. God, he really loved this kid. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I want to make a marriage pact." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Xiao Zhan raised his eyebrow, but decided to entertain the boy.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Oh?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "If you reach thirty and you're still single, I want us to get married." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He thought that this boy's obsession with him will wane over time, so he agreed to it if only just to ease his mind. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Okay, Yibaobao, anything for you." </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>"Yibaobao?" His eyes were still in daze, his pupils were blown. He's looking at the man before him, eyes unfocused. The memories flooded back into his brain, the memory of <em> that </em> one particular summer.</p><p>"Welcome back, Zhan-ge…" Yibo grinned and caught Xiao Zhan's mouth in a hot searing kiss that made him forget his own name temporarily.</p><p>Yibo kissed like a parched man and Xiao Zhan was his oasis. He licked and nipped and bit and tasted everything within his reach, while his hands followed. </p><p>Xiao Zhan felt the younger man climb on his lap, and continued with him opening his buttons off his shirt. His own <em> yukata </em>slipped off, showing one tattooed shoulder, which tempted the older bad, as he gave in and bit the shoulder hard. Right on one of the peonies, until it bleeds. </p><p>"Aah… Zhan-ge, I don't know that you are a biter… guess I'll find out more after tonight…" he flashed his mischievous grin, then continued kissing his precious Zhan-ge until he couldn't breathe.</p><p>Xiao Zhan's own hand roamed the inside of Yibo's kimono, and found out that he wore <em> nothing </em> underneath. His breath hitched.</p><p>"Did you plan this… seduction?" He tried to form the words out of the single brain cell he had left from all the lust that attacked him so suddenly.</p><p>"What seduction, Zhan-ge?" Yibo continued to leisurely kiss the nape of Xiao Zhan's neck, and nipped his Adam's apple lightly. "We're gonna get married soon, so no need for any formality between us… ahh, yes." He rubbed himself into Xiao Zhan like a cat in heat.</p><p>Xiao Zhan was very much enjoying the kiss and the friction  between his clothed manhood with the other's naked one, when one word came clear into his mind.</p><p>"Married?" </p><p>He struggled to come out of his lust haze, and groan when Yibo bit his neck.</p><p>"Yibo, stop. We need to talk." He regretfully pushed Yibo away. But Yibo, being a stubborn little gremlin, latched himself into Xiao Zhan, and his hands deftly unzipped his pants to free his hard cock.</p><p>"Later."</p><p>Then he put Xiao Zhan's leaking cock into his mouth, enveloping the velvety shaft fully, making the older man hissed and drove his hand into those luscious hair. His head bobbed up and down, slowly at first, dragging every movement to the point of Xiao Zhan's seeing stars. His hand cupped the balls and played with it expertly, while the other one squeezed his asscheek.</p><p>Xiao Zhan moaned, and arched his body, putting his cock deeper into Yibo's mouth. It seemed that the younger one didn't have any gag reflex, judging by how easily he accommodated the cock inside his throat.</p><p>He felt the pressure's building inside his gut, and his movements became erratic, pumping inside those sinful lips, fucking the mouth faster and faster until finally he exploded and he sees stars. Yibo lapped every single drop of the cum greedily before he went back up, a sly smile on his face and a drop of cum on the corner of his mouth. Then he kissed Xiao Zhan open mouthedly as if wanting him to taste himself.</p><p>He knew it should be gross, but the way Yibo kissed him, as if he is the most precious thing in the world, melted him right there and then, and he submitted to this young man when his hands deftly shed his pants and the rest of his clothes off.</p><p>"Mm, you taste so good Zhan-ge, I don't know how I lived this long and never tasted you before…" Yibo removed his own <em> yukata </em> and revealed a huge erection, flushing and leaking so prettily. Xiao Zhan's mouth watered as he looked at the beautiful cock, jutting from the soft looking nest of hair, stealing all of his attention.</p><p>"Like what you see?"</p><p>Xiao Zhan looked at Yibo, and without further words, he pulled him closer, and inserted that huge mast inside of his own mouth. He loved hearing the tiny gasp sounds that Yibo made, so he pushed the cock deeper inside him greedily.</p><p>"Not so fast, Zhan-ge…" Yibo panted so hard when he grabbed Xiao Zhan's hair and dragged his mouth away from his cock. "I want to put my cock inside you. May I?" He waited for his response, and when Xiao Zhan gave a tiny nod, he pushed him down to the soft tatami.</p><p>He laid down on his back and opened his thigh instinctively. God knows how long ago since the last time he had sex. </p><p><em> Too long. </em> </p><p>He felt the warm hands caressing every inch of his body, worshipping him in a way that no one's ever done to him and he felt warm inside.</p><p>"You're so beautiful, Zhan-ge…" Yibo peppered him with kisses all over his body. "Wonder why no one's claimed you before." He bit the inside of the thigh, right at the softest skin closest to the rim and it made Xiao Zhan's cock jump to life. "But I guess, it's my luck then, I get to have you as we promised before." </p><p>Xiao Zhan felt the hot breath near his fluttering hole, and the next second he felt a hot jab of a soft tongue inside. He moaned lewdly by the sensation, he arched his back but Yibo pushed him down.</p><p>"Relax, baobao, let me just love you tonight…"</p><p>Xiao Zhan felt all kinds of mixed feelings right at this time, but his visions were blackened by the lust and all he could hear was Yibo's voice crooning to him in a foreign language. It did something to his inside. So when the first finger entered him, he almost cum right there and then.</p><p>"You're so perfect, baobao, so beautiful, and you opened up so well for me…" Yibo kissed his mouth languidly, while his finger's moved slowly in and out at first. </p><p>Xiao Zhan enjoyed the feeling of being breached slowly, but tonight he needed more than that. He needed to be owned. He needed rough sex. And he knew Yibo could give him all of that. </p><p>Yibo seemed to sense the restlessness and he put the second finger inside rather forcefully, scissoring the older open. He grazed that sweet spot inside and it made Xiao Zhan buck and almost yell from the movement.</p><p>"Yibo… aahh… Yibaobao… please, I need you inside me now…" he tried to pull Yibo closer but Yibo stopped him. He mewled from the loss of the feeling inside, but then Yibo came and held him close, lining his now sheathed cock with his rim. He pulled him closer and closer until he felt the first breach and he <em> gasped. </em> </p><p><em> Dear Lord </em>…</p><p>Yibo was <em> huge.  </em></p><p>"Are you okay, Zhan-ge?" Yibo looked concerned enough to stop his movement.</p><p>Xiao Zhan was seeing stars, but he wanted more, so he used his legs to drag Yibo closer and in turn, the cock was inside him in one smooth movement.</p><p>It <em> burned </em>. </p><p>But it was a good kind of burn, so he moved his hips in tiny circles, making Yibo groan.</p><p>"You'll be the death of me, Zhan-ge…" he moved, faster now, slapping harshly. The sounds echoed in the room, making it more real and <em> sexy.  </em></p><p>"Baobao… I-I almost cum… ahhh" Yibo's movements were now frantic, not as smooth as before. </p><p>Xiao Zhan responded by pulling him closer and kissing him hard. "Let's cum together, baobei…" </p><p>Yibo's hand grabbed his hard cock and moved fast, seeking relief. The heat was building faster and faster until it tilted them to the edge, they were both cum with a loud yell.</p><p>
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</p><p>-----</p><p>
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</p><p>"That was… wow." Xiao Zhan curled himself inside the younger's embrace, feeling raw and exposed.</p><p>"Thanks, Ge, and it's all yours. Just need your signature."</p><p>"Yibaobao, you never do things in half, don't you?" He sighed half exasperatedly, half fondly, remembering all the mischiefs he did when they were young.</p><p>"I just know, Zhan-ge. What I decided when I was 15, won't change even after I turn 81." He kissed Xiao Zhan's naked shoulder lightly.</p><p>"But, you don't know anything at all about me, do you think I'm still the same person I was back then?" He tilted his head to kiss the younger's knuckles.</p><p>"I know enough." He cupped Xiao Zhan's face. "And I'll never be more sure, nor will I change my mind."</p><p>Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the sex bliss, but Xiao Zhan never agreed to anything faster than this. The only thing he understood was that Yibo<em> loves </em>him.</p><p>In the end, wasn't that the only thing people craved so much to make them murderers, and start a war, all in the name of love?</p><p>"Let's get married then."</p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>Xiao Zhan suspected that Yibo had already arranged everything before he even arrived.</p><p>With another two claps, there were people rushing inside, making Xiao Zhan yelped because… well, he's <em> naked </em> for one, but it didn't bother Yibo a bit. In fact, he proudly stood there in all of his nakedness, and Xiao Zhan finally saw the extent of the tattoos on his body.</p><p>It covered over fifty percent of his body.</p><p>The dragon was the most prominent one, its tail started from Yibo's lower back and it ended on his left shoulder. The white peonies peppered all around his body and on the right arm there's a tiger, ready to pounce with its aliveness. </p><p>It's all very fluid and <em> alive </em> with delicate design and watercolor quality to it.</p><p>"We should get you a tattoo. A phoenix." Yibo winked at him.</p><p>"One step at a time, Yibaobao, and marriage is quite a huge step for me."</p><p>Two women came and put on a red robe in Yibo and Xiao Zhan, not giving any reaction to their nakedness, or the mess they made on the tatami floor. They just wiped it clean.</p><p>It was all a whirlwind and Xiao Zhan hadn't quite wrapped his mind around it when they already made their three bows to heaven, the parents (Yibo's parents were deceased so they bowed to their altar), and finally to each other.</p><p>The officiant came out of nowhere, and officiated their wedding, put on his stamps and blessing, and two men in black ushered him out after it's finished. </p><p>Yibo looked at him fondly and pulled out a small black box. He took Xiao Zhan's hand, and slipped a thick platinum band with one diamond on it. </p><p>"Husband." His voice faltered.</p><p>"Husband." Xiao Zhan felt all the emotions rushing out and a tear fell out.</p><p>"We really got the order wrong, it should be a marriage first before we have our first… copulation." He grinned. "Anyway, we can fix that. Now, onto the bedroom… husband."</p><p>
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</p><p>He woke up when the sun was already up above the sky, a rarity for him. He used to wake up when the sun just shyly showed its face. His body felt sore all over the right place and there an extra weight on his waist, clutching him tight.</p><p>Then he remembered last night.</p><p>He straightened up so fast it made his head spins.</p><p>
  <em> Did he really get married last night?  </em>
</p><p>"Mm… baobao, coma back to bed…" Yibo pulled him down and nuzzled his neck.</p><p>"Yibo, I have to go to work, I have cases that I need to finish and I haven't told my boss that… I'm getting married. Boy, that will surprise him." He kissed Yibo's bare shoulder. </p><p>He still couldn't believe that he married this exquisite creature out of the blue just because of a childhood promise.</p><p>"Mmh… but we don't get to have our honeymoon yet." Yibo pouted with his swollen lips.</p><p>"I will take care of that soon, Yibaobao, and I'm sure my mom would like to meet you." He kissed Yibo's forehead fondly. "Now, I really need to go."</p><p>He stood up and groaned, remembering that he didn't have any change of clothes, and his last night's suits were nowhere to be seen.</p><p>"Are you looking for clothes? It's next door. Pick your poison." Yibo stretched out like a satisfied cat, showing off his muscles and beautiful painted body.</p><p>Xiao Zhan looked at him, admiring the beautiful sight before him, before he walked to the next room.</p><p>It was a clothes closet with wall to wall fully stocked with many kinds of clothes. On one wall there were various <em>yukata</em> of many colors and fabrics, and also formal <em>kimonos</em>. It seemed that Yibo was fond of wearing that traditional Japanese garb. On the other wall, there were suits. Formal, casual, eclectic. The other wall contained casual clothes, shirts, pants, gym clothes and on the last walls there were shoes and accessories. </p><p>It seemed that this young master had a penchant for fancy clothes and shoes.</p><p>"The ones on the right walls are all yours." Yibo appeared behind him and pointed at the wall with many kinds of suits. "I never wear suits."</p><p>Xiao Zhan gasped. </p><p>"How did you know my size?" He threw the younger a suspicious look. </p><p>"Please, Zhan-ge… <em> husband… </em> by now you should need not ask about my method." He landed a kiss on Xiao Zhan's mouth. "Do you have time for a shower?"</p><p>By now, Xiao Zhan also learned about how he could not deny Yibo anything, and how he's not going to ask about how Yibo seems to know everything about him.</p><p>They went into the bathroom, complete with an outdoor <em> onsen, </em>and took a quick shower. Quick enough for Yibo to soap Xiao Zhan's body from top to toe, and to suck him off before sending him out while he lazed around in the onsen.</p><p>"I've been meaning to ask you this, but what did you do exactly?" Xiao Zhan toweled his body while watching his husband entering the onsen fully naked. He seemed to have an exhibionism kink, well, with that kind of body, who could blame him. Although he needed to tell him to tone it down, after all he's a married man now.</p><p>
  <em> Wait. Is this a jealousy? </em>
</p><p>"What I do is not as important as your job, baobao." He waved his hand dismissively. "Didn't you say you're late already?" Xiao Zhan looked at the clock and almost yelled. He ran into the changing room and picked a random grey suit with white shirts, and true to his word, all fits him perfectly. </p><p>"Use the red tie, baobao, it suits you." Yibo yelled from outside.</p><p>He found the red silk tie and tied it perfectly with trained hands, then he went back outside to say goodbye to Yibo.</p><p>"Ji Li will take you back to the courthouse, then my men will escort you from now on. Just give them your car keys and they will take care of everything." Yibo kissed him goodbye. "Oh, and I almost forgot, there's a phone for you outside on the table. It's untraceable and my number is in it. You can call me anytime, just to say you miss me or for… naughty purposes…" he winked at Xiao Zhan.</p><p>"You're still the gremlin I remembered from back then, I'm glad." He kissed the top of Yibo's wet head, and ruffled it. "I need to go now before my boss launches a search party."</p><p>"Nah, he won't. I told Ji Li to call your boss this morning to inform him that you're gonna be late."</p><p>"You seem to think about everything. And why Ji Li seems to obey you? He is a police officer."</p><p>"His big brother is my head of security, so, yeah sometimes I asked Ji Li for a little help."</p><p>"Like kidnapping me?"</p><p>"Husband, do you have a kidnapping kink? I seem to recall you emphasized that word a few times since last night. I can arrange something if that's what floats your boat." Yibo tilted his head curiously, making Xiao Zhan almost blushed.</p><p>"Forget it, you... shameless."</p><p>"You know you don't need to worry about anything anymore, I will definitely take care of you."</p><p>This was actually the first time Xiao Zhan had been taken care of by people other than his parents. Due to his nurturing  nature, he was always the one who took care of the others. His friends, his girlfriends, boyfriends, not that he had many of them, but it's refreshing. The feeling of being taken care of.</p><p>"Thank you… husband."</p><p>Yibo seemed to be elated, he sent him a flying kiss and a wink.</p><p>"Be back home soon, husband."</p><p>
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</p><p>He entered the courthouse just after lunch, quite unusual for him, and he went straight to his office. </p><p>He just entered the door, when Ziyi, his secretary, gave him a <em> look </em>. </p><p>"Xiao Zhan… you look… glowing." She did a thorough once over. "Nice suit, is it new? Never see you wear this before"</p><p>"Since when did you become an old gossipy lady?" He put his bag down and took off his suit to prevent it from wrinkling. He deliberately took a peek inside and saw the brand. Brioni.</p><p>
  <em> Hmm…  </em>
</p><p>He knew enough of the clothing brand to at least figure out the price of one Brioni suit. And it's not in the neighbourhood of the price he could afford on his salary as a government worker. </p><p>Maybe he should draw a prenup. He wouldn't want Yibo to think that he's in it for his money. He was obviously having a lot of it, judging by the house, the clothes, and most importantly, the bodyguards. He never saw anyone who had that many bodyguards. And the first class surveillance equipment. To think out loud, he didn't really know anything about his newly wedded husband, or at all.</p><p>But before he could do anything about it, his boss was calling for him.</p><p>He walked into the District Attorney's office and he was told to sit.</p><p>"Xiao Zhan, bad news. Wen Xu got out this morning. I've asked Captain Li to send someone to follow him, but he just called me to say that his man lost track of him." He got straight into the point. "So, I want you to be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you, not under my watch."</p><p>He knew that the Wens were quite powerful for a local district mafia. But not that powerful to be able to release Wen Xu, who was under arrest for attempted murder of a servant of the law, and was caught red-handed by none other than the Captain of the Quick Response team, Li Bowen.</p><p>"Who's the lawyer?"</p><p>"Song Jiyang. As in Liu Haikuan's right hand man."</p><p>"What? <em> The </em> Liu Haikuan? That mysterious lawyer is only representing W. Corp. What do W. Corp want with him? Is there some kind of connection that we don't see?" Xiao Zhan drove his hand into his hair. "This is bad, boss. If W. Corp backed the Wens…"</p><p>
  <em> W. Corp was quite a new company that dabbled in everything, from the latest technology, to culinary, to owning several shady businesses such as casinos and nightclubs. Rumors had it that they were also the one behind the Wens, and the Jins, the other player in town, already greedily wanted to form an alliance with this elusive W. Corp. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The thing was, no one knew who was the face behind W. Corp. They did everything through Mr. Liu Haikuan, Esq. And even they knew nothing about this Liu Haikuan person. Only that he looked like an angel, but more ruthless than the devil himself. </em>
</p><p>"I do realize that, Xiao Zhan." He lit up his cigarette and offered it to Xiao Zhan, but the latter declined. "The strangest thing was this. Wen Xu hadn't even had a chance to demand for a lawyer when Mr. Song appeared out of nowhere. Like he was <em> expecting </em>Wen Xu to be arrested."</p><p>Something clicked in his head.</p><p>"I almost forgot, but were you the one who called for Captain Li last night? Because I didn't."</p><p>"You didn't? Well, I know I didn't. I thought you're the one who laid the trap for him. Although I must say that the plan was cleverly executed, and you were very brave to become bait like that."</p><p>Xiao Zhan chuckled nervously.</p><p>"Anyway, that must be an order from <em> someone </em>. Captain Li is a very strict man. He won't do that without clever planning on both of our ends."</p><p>"Hmm, yeah I thought so too." </p><p>Xiao Zhan would definitely find out who called Captain Li and used him as a bait. <em> Without his consent. </em> Of course he wouldn't mind if they <em> told </em> him beforehand, but damn if he's not pissed. But he reigned it all in, not showing any unnecessary emotion in front of his boss. He would deal with this later.</p><p>"I'd better leave you to your work, Xiao Zhan. Just remember you have a lot of unclaimed vacation days if you want to… disappear just for a while. Lay low. Sipping margarita at the beach. Finding a <em> wife." </em></p><p>Ah… his boss had ulterior motives after all. He couldn't count with his hands how many times his boss was trying to matchmake him. With women and men alike. </p><p>
  <em> If only he knows. </em>
</p><p>"Boss…" he said exasperatedly.</p><p>"I know, I know, forgive this old man. I just want someone to take better care of you. Judging by the dark circles under your eyes, I bet you're not getting enough sleep lately."</p><p>
  <em> Well, yeah, for a totally different reason.  </em>
</p><p>He chuckled.</p><p>"Don't worry boss, I may surprise you one day."</p><p>"One day. Will that day come though?"</p><p>"Might be a lot sooner than you expected."</p><p>"Oh? Xiao Zhan, you sly dog! Did you keep a secret from me?"</p><p>"Later boss, when the time is right. Now I really need to get back to work." He turned around and waved to his boss before he went back to his office.</p><p>
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</p><p>He worked until late, and it's going to be a lot later if he did not remember that he had someone waiting for him now. </p><p>He stretched his body, massaged his bleary eyes, and stood up to gather his things. He tried to remember where he parked his car, and walked outside his office to find someone was already waiting for him in one of the chairs in front of his office. He yelped in surprise and his eyes darted around to find something to defend himself with.</p><p>"Xiao-laoshi. I'm your bodyguard, courtesy of Yibo-sama." The man stood up and gave him a deep courtesy bow. "My name is Xue Yang and from now on I will be with you everywhere you go, 24/7."</p><p>"Any proof that you are what you said that you are? Not to be untrusting, but… scratch that, in my profession I can't afford to be trusting, so unless you give me solid proof that you are indeed from Yibo, then… " he shrugged.</p><p>"Ah, maybe Xiao-laoshi should check his phone then. I'm sure Yibo-sama has already told you about this arrangement."</p><p>True to his word, Yibo sent him this Xue Yang's details over the phone sometimes in the past few hours, and because of his hectic workload, he only managed to get it now.</p><p>He eyed Xue Yang suspiciously. This man looked young enough to be a college student. The way he dressed in all black; black top, black jeans, black combat boots and hair tied in a little ponytail; also did not help.</p><p>But the files stated that he was well over 25 years old.</p><p>The phone trilled in his hand, making him almost drop it. He looked at the screen and saw Yibo's name as the caller, so he picked it up.</p><p>"Hey, husband, miss me?" Yibo's coquettish voice did a somersault inside him, making him warm all over.</p><p>"Hey, as a matter of fact, I do… <em> husband. </em>" That foreign word was slowly making itself familiar in his vocabulary, and he wants nothing more.</p><p>"Dinner? I know for a fact that you haven't had one."</p><p>"Sure, I'm finished for the day already. You want to meet somewhere?"</p><p>"Yeah, I told Xue Yang the details, just go with him alright? He's one of my bestest men."</p><p>"Alright then. See you soon?"</p><p>"See you soon, love."</p><p>He walked with Xue Yang into a black SUV with dark tinted windows.</p><p>"Uhm, I have my car down at the garage?" He looked at Xue Yang inquisitively.</p><p>"We've taken care of that, Xiao-laoshi. Yibo-sama said that from today this will be your car. It's bulletproof." Xue Yang winked at him.</p><p>Xiao Zhan might be slow sometimes, but not that slow to not start to realize the extent of Yibo's… power.</p><p>"What exactly does your boss do?" He climbed up to the dark car with Xue Yang in tow. There's another man inside the car behind the driver's seat. He politely nodded to Xiao Zhan before starting the car.</p><p>"Yibo-sama has a very extensive reach into many kinds of different areas. Well, his father and grandfather did before him, but Yibo-sama was the one who took everything up until it reached a new height. You are a very lucky person, Xiao-laoshi. I never see him look at another person as he looks at you."</p><p>
  <em> That was vague as hell, but he let it slide this time. </em>
</p><p>"Hmm… so, where are we going?"</p><p>"We're almost there."</p><p>
  <em> Guess he had to live with half answers. For now. </em>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We're going to <em> Japan? </em> For <em> dinner </em>?" </p><p>Xiao Zhan was speechless when they ushered him into the private jet and told him the destination.</p><p>"Yes, Xiao laoshi, we're going to Japan to meet Yibo-sama and Nobutada-sama for dinner."</p><p>"Nobutada-sama?" Xiao Zhan furrowed his brow, he never heard of him.</p><p>"He is Yibo-sama's grandfather."</p><p>
  <em> Ah.  </em>
</p><p>He remembered that Yibo's mother was a Japanese woman so this must be her father.</p><p>The trip was a little under two hours, and Xiao Zhan refreshed himself in the plane's private bathroom and he even got a short shut eye.</p><p>He opened his eyes when he heard a knock on the bedroom, and saw that they were descending. He stood up and opened the door to Xue Yang, who informed him that they would land in a few minutes, and to show him the hidden closet full of clothes and accessories.</p><p>He changed his suit into one of the more casual one, beige pants, black shirt and a leather jacket with a white Nike shoes. There's a whole full of them in the closet.</p><p> </p><p>The plane landed smoothly, and he was ushered out in no time to a waiting limo outside.</p><p>
  <em> Osaka. </em>
</p><p>The limo took them to <em> Koryu, </em> a three Michelin star restaurant which only seated ten people at a time and there was a sign that read <em> CLOSED for TODAY </em>at the front door. But Xue Yang opened the door and ushered him inside.</p><p>"Yibo-sama is waiting for you inside."</p><p>Xiao Zhan came inside, and was greeted by a huge man in all black.</p><p>"Xiao-laoshi, I'm Nie Mingjue, Yibo-sama's head of security. They have been expecting you at the back." He bowed deeply, a sign of utmost respect in Japanese culture.</p><p> </p><p>Truth to be told, Xiao Zhan had started to have an idea about what he's been getting into, but he wanted Yibo to tell him himself. </p><p>And when he saw the people who were inside, he knew his suspicion had been confirmed.</p><p>"Zhan-ge! Finally you're here!" Yibo, dressed in a formal kimono in navy, stood up from the tatami to greet him. He gave a kiss, a few seconds longer than necessary, then dragged him to the table where a few people gathered around. </p><p>"Let me introduce you to my family." He draped himself over the old but still robust man in a dark colored kimono. His body was also covered in tattoos and he looked intimidating. He was also very handsome, and Yibo looked exactly like him. "This is my grandfather, Nobutada Einosuke, my mom's father." He kissed the old man on the top of his head. "Jiji, this is my husband, Xiao Zhan. He is the youngest Assistant District Attorney in history." His voice was so proud it embarrassed Xiao Zhan a bit.</p><p>"Call me jiji, Xiao Zhan, we're family after all." The old man guffawed while he ruffled Yibo's head. "This boy is like a typhoon, whatever or whoever he wants, he will get. I admire that." Then he looked at Xiao Zhan with his piercing gaze. "Please take care of my only grandchild." He bowed his head deeply to Xiao Zhan.</p><p>Xiao Zhan returned the bow deeper, nervous. "I will do everything I can to make your grandson happy, jiji."</p><p>"Okay, stop with the formality, Zhan-ge, this is my cousin, from my father's side, Liu Haikuan. He represented us in everything, so if you need a lawyer, or anything, you can contact him directly." Yibo introduced him to the other man in the room. A man whom Xiao Zhan was actually just dying to meet. The legend. Liu Haikuan himself.</p><p>He was a tall man, with a very handsome face. A trait that apparently graced every male in Yibo's family. He had a very calm demeanor and smile. And his voice was deep and comforting.</p><p>"Xiao Zhan, I heard a lot about you." He offered his hand which Xiao Zhan took.</p><p>"Same goes here, Mr. Liu."</p><p>"Ah, you can just call me Haikuan, we're family after all." He gave Xiao Zhan a warm smile.</p><p>"Ge! Don't you dare flirt with my husband!" Yibo suddenly slapped their joined hand and curled his hands possessively around Xiao Zhan's waist.</p><p>"Yibo…" Xiao Zhan looked at him in a fond exasperation, and Yibo looked at him sulkily. "Don't be a brat." </p><p>Everyone was frozen in place, including Haikuan.</p><p>But then Yibo looked at him and said, <em> sorry </em>, in a small voice.</p><p>That's when the grandfather laughed.</p><p>"Wow, you're the first to make him ever say sorry Xiao Zhan, never once in his life that he has ever said sorry to anyone, even to me, his grandfather…" he pinched Yibo's cheek. "But then again, with this cuteness, who could say no to him?"</p><p>"Jiji!! You make me look bad in front of my husband!" Yibo slapped the hand away from his cheek. "And I'm already 25!! Not a baby anymore…" he sulkily pouted, making him cuter like a delinquent teenager.</p><p>"Yibaobao, you are a baby… <em> my </em>baby." Xiao Zhan kissed the tip of his reddened nose, and squeezed his arm. "Now, be good and let's eat, I'm starving."</p><p>They sat and talked together in an easy manner, when a man came out from the kitchen and conversed with Yibo's grandfather in Japanese animatedly.</p><p>"That's Matsuo-san, the owner of this establishment." Yibo told Xiao Zhan while he inhaled the freshly prepared seafood. "He is an old friend of jiji, and I think they were talking about the wedding."</p><p>"Oh? Anyone's getting married?" Xiao Zhan took a small bite of the fish and was delighted by the fresh taste.</p><p>"Yeah. Us."</p><p>He almost choked.</p><p>"What? Do you think jiji will let us go with only a <em> Chinese </em> civil ceremony? He will burn us alive if we don't get married in a Japanese custom. Right, ge?"</p><p>Liu Haikuan nodded and smiled.</p><p>Somehow Xiao Zhan felt that it was a literal threat rather than an empty one.</p><p>"Relax, Xiao Zhan, we will take care of everything. All you need to do is just attend the ceremony."</p><p>"We should do it within a month. Is that possible, Matsuo-san? We will just invite close friends and acquaintances. Two hundred people should suffice?" Yibo's grandfather spoke in Chinese mixed with Japanese and English. Strangely, Xiao Zhan didn't realize that they had all spoken like that since the beginning.</p><p>"What do you think, Xiao Zhan? Do you want to add more? Your family? Friends?"</p><p>Xiao Zhan felt cold sweat drenched his back just thinking about his family and law enforcement friends were in the same place with these… motley crew. </p><p>And Yibo didn't help at all except putting gasoline to the fire.</p><p>"Jiji, why don't we also hold the banquet in China? We should make it the wedding of the year and invite our competitor to show them that Zhan-ge is mine."</p><p>
  <em> Right.  </em>
</p><p>"That's a great idea, Bobo! We can make the wedding party of the year <em> both </em> in China and Japan, let them know how perfect your husband is <em> and </em>announce our expansion there! Great! I will call Lan Qiren to prepare everything there. Only for the best for my grandson!"</p><p>"Aww, jiji, I like that idea so much! Let's do it in the most lavish way then!"</p><p>"Jiji, Yibo." </p><p>Liu Haikuan's calm voice was cutting between the two most pushover people Xiao Zhan had ever known in his life. Even his own mother could not compare to them.</p><p>"I think we need to slow down a bit and take a deep breath?"</p><p>
  <em> Finally someone who understand! </em>
</p><p>"At least until all the title changes are finished. Which will take another week."</p><p>Yibo and his grandfather were looking at each other, communicating silently then nodded.</p><p>"You made a good choice, Bobo, and at the right time. We should celebrate your birthday too…"</p><p>"We have plenty of time, Jiji… we can celebrate everything later." </p><p><br/>
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</p><p>They ended the dinner a short while later because Yibo's grandfather had another appointment, and he kissed Yibo and Xiao Zhan goodbye before leaving with a horde of bodyguards.</p><p>Liu Haikuan, Nie Mingjue and Xue Yang followed them both back home to China.</p><p><br/>
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</p><p> </p><p>"So, Yibo…" he had been dying to ask Yibo since before he met them all. "Tell me, what did you do <em> exactly </em>?"</p><p>Yibo was in the middle of shedding out his kimono and he stood in the middle of the room, naked.</p><p>"Oh? I dabbled in everything, why? Are you interested in joining my company? Of course it will be your company too, soon." Yibo laid down on the bed, groaning. </p><p>"Well, I know Liu Haikuan is only representing W. Corps. So, you are W. Corps?" He also took off his jacket before laying down beside Yibo.</p><p>"Mm, I think that's the name Haikuan-ge chose for me."</p><p>Xiao Zhan knew Yibo's family was very rich, but he didn't realize the extent of his husband's reach.</p><p>"What do you mean, Haikuan chose for you?"</p><p>"Before expanding to China, we were a… family business in Japan. And we need another name to open a business venture in China, so, W. Corps. Easy to remember since it was my father's name."</p><p>"Yibo, look at me."</p><p>He knew that Yibo was evading his questions, so he pushed in the only way he knew.</p><p>"Is your grandfather a yakuza?"</p><p>Yibo gasped in an offended tone.</p><p>"Zhan-ge! How could you say something like that? It's… insulting!" Yibo looked really offended, so Xiao Zhan released a breath he didn't know he held. </p><p>"Jiji is the <em> oyabun </em>of the largest Japanese yakuza! Our family is the largest and oldest yakuza organization in Japan, you wouldn't know by the look of him…" he chuckled. "But… don't worry, all my business in China is clean. No ties with yakuza or triad or mafia, or whatever. Pinky promise!" He added in a hurry after he saw how Xiao Zhan paled.</p><p>He was hyperventilating for a few moments before he finally caught his breath and looked at Yibo.</p><p>"You do know that I'm the ADA… right? And you hid the facts from me?" He couldn't think clearly with the haze of anger started to blind him. </p><p>"But, ge… really, I didn't mean to blindside you, I just want you to love me because of… me. Not because I was a rich heir or a yakuza, or a brat… whatever it is you think of me."</p><p>"Were you the one that took Wen Xu from jail? Don't lie, I knew that Liu Haikuan's right hand man was the one who took him out and he was missing now."</p><p>"I…"</p><p>"And were you the one who made the plan to put me as a bait before calling Captain Li?"</p><p>Yibo did not answer him.</p><p>"I thought so."</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>He needed some air, so he went out from the suddenly stuffy room to the bar near the cockpit, and poured himself a stiff drink.</p><p>"You know, he only did it because he loves you."</p><p>He turned around to find Haikuan sitting on one of the seats, while Xue Yang and Nie Mingjue were sitting near the cockpit. </p><p>He raised his brow in question.</p><p>"That wall is thin. And I know you will find out eventually." He gestured to Xiao Zhan to sit in front of him.</p><p>"Were you the one who arranged everything?" He went straight to the point.</p><p>Haikuan looked at him calculatingly, before he answered.</p><p>"I always know that you are good. And you're always going straight for the jugular. I think Yibo needs someone like you." He sipped his drink while carefully assessing Xiao Zhan. "You're young enough to be able to play with Yibo, and mature enough to reign him in. He was an untamed beast, did you know that?"</p><p>"I always know that he can not be reigned if he doesn't want to."</p><p>"Well, that's right. And you're the only one who can do that." Haikuan put his glass down. "Do you know, despite his appearance, he single-handedly took over jiji's business from their enemies? It was around 6-7 years ago when he was not even twenty." Haikuan took out a cigarette and lit it up. "Jiji was sick with some kind of unknown illness, poisoning as we later found out. Yibo was also targeted by many assassins, that's why he had many scars in his body. They tortured him until he was barely alive. The tattoos you've seen were made to cover all the scars. He said that he didn't want to look ugly. For you." </p><p>Haikuan's gaze was unnerving, the one he always gave to his opposition in court, but Xiao Zhan was unwavering. Although his heart clenched at the mention of young Yibo's suffering.</p><p>"He took care of all the traitors and took over the business and cleaned them up. So it's all legal now. And did you know what he said? He did it all for you. To be a man you can be proud of. So don't blame me if I want my little cousin to be happy by getting rid of the pests that are trying to kill the only person he ever loves."</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>"I need to think. Alone." Xiao Zhan stopped Haikuan from saying another word. "Can you please tell me if Wen Xu is still alive? No nevermind, just… please release him if he's still alive? We will prosecute him. By law."</p><p>Haikuan looked at him for the longest time, then nodded.</p><p>"Also, can you please tell Yibo that I… I need time to process all this information?" </p><p>Haikuan took a card from his pocket.</p><p>"My number. You can reach me there 24/7. Don't worry about Yibo, I will take care of him. Take your time, I know it's a lot to process."</p><p>"Thank you. I appreciate it."</p><p><br/>
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</p><p>When the plane arrived at the airport, Haikuan had arranged for a separate car for Xiao Zhan to take him to his old apartment.</p><p>He, Nie Mingjue and Xue Yang watched the car slowly disappear from their sight.</p><p>"So, I take it, that it's not going well?" Nie Mingjue asked Liu Haikuan.</p><p>"Well, I just dumped a whole lot of information on him. An ordinary person might be scarred for life." Haikuan took a drag of his cigarette. "How's Yibo? Still sulking?"</p><p>"His new husband left him, what do you expect?" Xue Yang snorted.</p><p>"Not for long, I hope."</p><p>"Xue Yang, just keep your eyes on him. Mr. ADA has a lot of enemies. Especially the Wens. That man is as straight as an arrow, unwavering. He's good for Yibo."</p><p>"No need to say more, boss, I will always protect Yibo-sama's most precious."</p><p>"Mingjue, tell your brother to keep an eye on him. That man is as stubborn as Yibo, we're gonna get a lot of headache between the two of them and jiji."</p><p>"Yeah, don't I know it."</p><p><br/>
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